Working at home is not always as it appears

Q: The holidays are coming up, and I’m looking for some extra money. But so many of these online jobs look like scams. I’d love to do something remote, but how do I know what’s real?

A: One of the most exciting parts of living in the 21st century is how many jobs can be done on the road, or in your living room, or on your own schedule. But you’re right, many of those jobs are fake and will take advantage of you. If you find a help wanted ad and it doesn’t name the company, skip it. Lack of a legitimate website or logo is also suspicious. Whenever you find a new company, vet it by searching for the company’s name plus “review” or “scam.” The strongest companies already have a well-known reputation, and they usually require you to appear in person: Uber, Lyft and Amazon come to mind. Don’t sign contracts or send personal information until you know exactly whom you’re dealing with.

Q: I noticed that Amazon.com is now selling batteries. How do they compare to the competition?

A: Consumer Reports recently did a study on AA batteries. They tested 15 different lithium and alkaline batteries, including several brands. AmazonBasics Performance AA Alkaline batteries received an overall score of 71. That’s not very good when you compare this with the top battery on their list, Duracell Quantum AA Alkaline batteries. It received an overall score of 89.

Q: I finally upgraded to Windows 10 on my PC, but ads keep popping up, even though my screen is locked. Is there any way that I can ditch them?

A: First off, I’m glad you upgraded to Windows 10, if only for security reasons. The upgrade also gives you an excuse to take a hard look at your settings. Ads can be frustrating, especially when your computer is essentially off. To kill these unwanted ads, go to Settings, then to Personalization. Hit “Lock Screen,” and then “Background.” Now you should see “Windows Spotlight,” so just change the settings to “Picture” or “Slideshow.” That will do the trick!

Q: I recently lost my iPhone 6 charger, and my coworker has been letting me borrow hers. Then I realized that the charger’s voltage might be a lot higher. Should I be worried about that?

A: You should just replace the cable, and right away. Cheap Lightning cables can be found at almost any electronics store, and even most chain pharmacies and gas stations. More important, stop using the higher-voltage cable. It might work in a pinch, but over-charging is one reason that lithium-ion batteries end up exploding. It’s not common, but it does happen, and using a high-voltage cord puts your battery at risk. You might also short out your phone; when this happens to a lithium battery, there aren’t as many fireworks as a full-on explosion, but you’ll still have to get the phone replaced.

Q: I was clinging to my old ThinkPad, but it finally bit the dust. I saw that Staples could scrap your laptop for you for free. Is that a good idea?

A: If your computer doesn’t have any monetary value, sure, bid it goodbye. Office supply stores often run programs that help destroy or recycle your old computer. But before you give your laptop to anyone, even a trusty Staples employee, make sure to erase the hard drive. I don’t mean just deleting files; I mean destroy every piece of data on it. Scavenging old computers is one way that hackers can steal your information because former owners don’t realize how much their data is still lingering there. You need to make sure every last line of code is erased.